Indicating device



Sept. 1945. Q M. c. SMITH J 2,384,653

INDICATING DEVICE Filed Dec. '13, 1943 2 Shets-Sheet l IN V EN TOR.

Z9 Man? 6? 5/27/26 Patented Sept. 11, 1945 nun-Ensu M 8:

Application December 1 3" Claims.

In its broadest aspect, my invention relates to certain new and useful improvements in indicating devices and more particularly toa device for indicating, if desired, the number of times a telephone receiver is removed from and replaced upon its cradle, whereby the lessee of the telephone may at the end of any period, such for example, the end of a calendar month, know how many telephone calls have been made. In this respect the invention has, for its principal object the provision ,of. an improved construction which will be highly efficient in use and economical in manufacture.

Among the salient objects of the invention is the provision, if desired, for indicating each time the receiver is placed upon its cradle, thereby enabling the lessee to substantially check the number of calls at any time. 4

A still further object of the invention is the provision of a device of this character having an arrangement whereby the indicating mechanism may be reset to zero position at the end of a predetermined period or to render the indicating device inoperative in case of a busy signal or for any other reason.

A still further object of the invention is the provision of a device of this character wherein provision is made for the reception of the telephone cradle, the arrangement being such that the cradle will support the receiver in a position to operate the indicating mechanism, if desired, each time the receiver is placed upon the cradle.

Other objects will appearhereinafter.

The invention consists in the novel combination and arrangement of parts to be hereinafter described and claimed.

The invention will be best understood by reference' to the accompanying drawings showing the preferred form of construction, and in which:

Fig. 1 is a perspective view of the invention;

Fig. 2 is a plan view of the same taken substantially on line 22 of Fig. 1;

Fig. 3 is a sectional detail view taken substantially on line 3-3 of Fig. 2;

Fig. 4 is a sectional detail view of the same taken substantially on line 4-4 of Fig. 3;

Fig. 5 is afragmentary sectional detail view taken substantially on line 5-5 of Fig. 3;

Fig. 6 is a fragmentary sectional detail view taken substantially on line 6-6 of Fig. 1; and

Fig. "Iis' a fragmentary detail view taken substantially on line 1-1 of Fig. 2.

The drawings illustrate the preferred form of construction of my invention. This construction of the invention may vary in form withoutde- 3, I943, Serial No. 514,0)9 (01.179511) parting from the spirit thereof. In this connection I provide a housing'or enclosure Hi, the top ofwhich'is provided by two cover sections H and I2. These cover sections II and I2 are secured to the sidewalls l3 of the housing In by suitable screw elements l4. The cover section at one end thereof extends as at l5 above the major portion' l6. This portion l6 of thecover section 12 has a recessed seat I! formed therein. This seat I! receives the base l8 of the cradle I9 of the telephone 20."This telephone includes the re-' ceiver-2 l,- no'rmally supported on the cradle l9 and held from displacement therefrom by means of side lugs 22. r I

The bottom Wall 2301? the housing has preferably countersunk therein abearing 24. Journaled inthis bearing' 24 is a stud shaft 25, the exterior end of'which has a finger knob 26 formed therein.'- The inner end portion 21 of this studshaft is threaded into a washer 28', and this threaded end portion Z'Icarries a. disc 29 having a spiral groove 30 formed therein with an entrance-to thespiral as at 3|. On the face of this disc-29- betweenthe spirals, in numerical order, are indicia 32, in the present instance in the form of numbers beginning with the numb r u n I v V V v v This disc :29 is preferablysecured to a. base discs33 through the medium of suitable connectin'g elements 34. This base disc .33 on its peripheral...edge-is provided with ratchet teeth 35. These teeth 35are .adaptedto be engaged by a pawl. 36 hinged to a ,slidable bar 31 as at 38. Carried bythis, bar 31 isa leaf spring 39 bent upon itself to provide an end portion 40 bearing against the pawl 36 to normally hold the pawl in engagement with the teeth 35. V In the wall 4| of th'e extended portion 15, there is formed an opening 42 in which there is mounted a suitable bearing 43. Projected through this bearing 43 is a pin'44 having a. handle 45. This pin 44 is 'slidably positioned through a sleeve 46 formed in a plate 41 secured to the wall 48 of the extended portion l5. The lower'end portion 49 of this pin 44 is adapted to engage a cam-shaped surface 50'forme'd on the pawl 36, wherebywhen the pin 44 is pressed downwardly againstthe action of a spring 5|, this pin will engage the cam.

surface!!!) and swing the pawl 36 against the action of the spring 39 from engagement with theteeth 35, thus permitting the disc 29 to be rotated in'an anti-clockwise direction to reset the numerals thereon with the numeral 1" exposed to =the' observer, in -amanner hereinafter set -'t:.

The cover sections ll provide a groove 52 through which the numbers on the disc 29 are exposed. Movable longitudinally in this groove is a window 53. This window 53 is provided with opposite grooved edges 54 which receive the edges 55 of the cover sections II. The window 53 carries a depending pin 56 which operates in the spiral groove 30 of the disc 29, whereby when the disc 29 is rotated, the window will be caused to move longitudinallyin the groove, 52. This will particularly take place whenithe .disc 28 is moved in'step bystepmovement in'a manner now to be described.

Carried by the wall 48 is a plate 51.

eral pin 58 having a reduced portion59 operating in an elongated slot 60 formed inan oper-' ating bar 6|. bar 6| by means of a pin connection 63 is connected to a bell crank 64. The bell crank 541s pivotally connected as at 65 to the bar 31-. The limb portion 66 of the bell crank is pivotally; connected to the wall48by means of a ,pin connection 61 in a manner such that when the operating bar 6| ismoveddownwardly, thebell crank .64'wil1 pivot on the pin connection 61,-and pivotal movement of the-bell crank 64 will slidethe bar 31 in a direction against a leaf spring 68.: This movement of the-bar 31 will bring the pawl-35 into engagement with enact the. teeth 35and the movementis of such degree as will cause'thedisc 2! to-rotate one step, bringing the next succeeding number into position within thewindqw 53.; The leaf spring 68 (Fig. 2) is connected; as at B9 to the sidewall 10.01 the housing.

The operating bar 6| at its upper end .portio carries a rubber cap 1 and thisv bar is soiforrned as to dispose the rubber cap beneath the receiver 24 inwardly-of the ea piece ;12'whereby, when the receiver 2.1 is placedupon the cradle 49-, the weight of the receiver will pressthe operatinebar Bjl downwardly, and this movement ofthe, bar 6| willv pivot. the .bell crank 64. in ,the; manner and for, the purpose hereinbefore set forth. i

,The telephoneseat [1; may be of any desired shape toaccommodate various shapes. of: .telephone cradles, and the length of the operating barli l, and ,its, shapemay, be varied2to. accommodatesnchv iiifierent. forms. of telephone whereby to bringthe capv ll; into engagement with; the receiver :or'ithat part of the telephone which will cause the bar 6 I under ithe of #:he receiver orother part of the telephone, to move downwardlyior the reasons hereinbefore stated.

- As: stated herein, each time the receiver '2 F is taken-off the cradle l'9,"-the-- operating bar 61; under the action of theleaf springfififlwiii move upwardly, disposing *the pawl-bearing "bar 31:; in a' position with the pawl 35 aboutto engage one of theratchet-teethfi. When-the-receiver is flf placed upon the cradle, it will engagethe mibber cap 1|, 'andthe weight" of the receiver-"will move the operating bar 6! downwardly."Qn'thismove ment jofithe operating bar'fil downwardlflthebell I crank 64 willbe caused -to pivot in an anti-clock- 'wise1 direction. In" this' movement of. -the" pen crank 64', the bar 31 -'will.be1.m'oved against the action of the spring 68' and in'thismovement of the bar .31 the pawl 36,: being in engagement wi ne 9 t r c et te t 3 wi l m re t e i 3 one st b in n t rnsxtq i pqs dins n p -32 w tmna hei ea h -:w dow. 3- 'I'he-lessee-of the;t-.elephc ne, by observing the number exposed through this window 53 may de plate 51 at its upper end portion carries.=a lat termine how many times the telephone has been used.

At the end of a predetermined period, by pressing the pin 44 downwardly to bring the end 49 thereof into engagement with the cam surface 50, the pawl 36 may be withheld from engagement with the ratchet teeth to permit the user or operator to rotate the disc 29 in a direction to reset the numbers thereon. Each time thatthe number carrying disc 29 is rotated, the window 51; will -.-be mov in proportion to the rotation of the disc 29."

indicating the number of times the telephone is used.

The lower end portion-62 of this:

While I have shown in the drawings a flat disc 29, it isobvious that the form of this disc is not essential to the invention and that it may be changed in form, such for example, a rollershaped disc. Byemploying a roller-shaped disc theresnlt will be the same.- 7

-While -I have illustrated and described th preferredform of construction for carrying my invention into effect, this is capable of variation and modification without departing from the spirit of the invention. 1, therefore, do not wish to-be limited to thewprecise details of" construction set forth, but desire to avail myself of .such variations and:.modifications as come within the scopeoi :the appended claims.

"Having thus described my invention, what'- I claim as new and desire to protect by Letters Patentis? r v V 1. An indicating device for a telephone havingareceiver, comprising a housing providing a seat for' the cradle of said telephone, avertically movable memberearriedby said housing and movable in one direction by theweight of'the receiver thereon, a ratchetbar mounted for longitudinal movementinsaid-housing, means providihg connection between said vertically movabl member and said ratchet bar, means for moving said verticallymovabl member in an opposite direction when the weight of'thefrec'eiver is removed therefrom, a spiral member within saidhousing and having indicating 'ind'icia thereon, means providing a 'connection between the spiral member'and said ratchet bar Whereb'y'said spiral member'will be moved step "by step upon movement of said ratchet bar, and a window mo'vably supported'by' the housing and having means engaging ;with the' spiralf'member for movement fbythe latter, the indicating indicia on said spiral member beingadapt'ed to be ex-' posed successively through said window.

2; An indicating device'for'a telephone having a receiver, comprislngia housing providing aseat for the cradle of said telephone'a verticallymovable member carried bys'aid housing and movable in'on'e direction byl the .weight of theireceiver thereon, a ratchet jbarmounted for longitudinal movement in said housing, means provid ing connection between sai'd' verticall'y movable member and sai'dratchet bar,'.mean's for moving said vertically. movablemembeiiin an opposite direction 'whenitlie weight. o1 lth'receiver re moved therefrom, a' spiral. within said housing: and having indicating findica thereon, xn e b eti b t ee h s i member and said ratchet whereby. said spiral member will be moved step-bystenupon movement, of. s d at e 931', m ans. for renderina said means -inope r;ative to 1 permit; 7 said Spiral vframe mounted for movement longitudinally of said opening, a spiral member within the enclosure and having indicia thereon successively exposed through said window frame, means providing connection between said window frame and the spirals of said member whereby said window frame will move in synchronism with said spiral member, a ratchet bar, a pawl providing connection between the ratchet bar and the spiral member, a bell crank, means providing a pivotal connection between the bell crank and the enclosure, means connecting the bell crank to the ratchet bar, an operating member, means for connecting the operating member to the bell crank, and means provided by said enclosure for supporting said operating member for movement in the direction of its length, said operating memher being adapted to be moved in one direction with respect to its length by the weight of a body thereon.

MARK 0. SMITH. 

